engine GMC JIMMY 1997 Owner's Guide

Air Conditioning
011 cool but sunny days, use BI-LEVEL A/C to deliver
~varm
air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument
p"nel outlets.
When the air conditioner is on. you may sometimes
notice slight changes
in your 1:ehicle's engine speed and
power, This
is normal because the system is designed
to cycle the compressor
on and off to keep the
clesired temperature.
Heating
The heater works best if yo11 keep plr windows closed
while using
it. On cold days. use HEATER With the
ten~perature knob turned clockwise.
BLEND is LISS~LI~ in
cool weather when you have fos or ice on the
winclshield
or side windows.
If ~OLI use the optional engine coolant heater befhre
starting yo~~r engine. your heatin2 system will produce
warmer air faster to heat the passenger compartment
in
cold weather. See "Engine Coolant Heater" in the Index.
3-3

Audio Systems
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out
of it if you acquaint yourself
with it first. Find out what your Delco system can do
and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you're
went into it.
c eetting the most out of the advanced engineering that
Setting the Clock
Press SET. Within five seconds, press and hold SEEK
until the correct minute appears on the display. Press and
hold
SCAN until the correct hour appears on the display.
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo
with Compact
Disc Player and Automatic
Tone Control
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the
display. Press and hold
MIN lmtil the correct minute
appears
on the display. To display the clock with the
ignition
off, press RECALL and the time will be
displayed for a few seconds. There is an initial
two-second delay before the clock goes
into the
time-set mode.
AM-FM Stereo
Playing the Radio
PWR-VOL: This knob turns the system on and off and
controls the volume. To increase volume,
turn the knob
clockwise. Turn
it counterclockwise to decrease volume.
RECALL: Display the time with the ignition off by
pressing this knob. When the radio is playing, press this
knob to recall the station frequency.

To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Ad-just the volume control to the lowest setting.
I NOTICE:
~
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can add
what you want.
If’ you can, it’s very important to do
1 it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere
’ with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delco
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.

Braking in Emergencies
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning. you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
4-9

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a
second skid if il occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water. snow, ice,
gravel or other material is
on the road. For safety. you'll
want to slow down
and adjust your driving to these
conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer
and
vehicle control more lilnited.
While driving
on a surface with reduced traction. try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or
braking (inclucling engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear).
Any sudden changes could cause the tircs lo slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until yo11r
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water. ice or packed snow on
the road to make a "mirrored surface" -- and slow down
when you
have any doubt.
Remember:
Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility
vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations issued by
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
of the United States Department of
Transportation.
Utility vehicles have higher ground
clearance
and a narrower track to make them capable of
performing
in a wide variety of off-road applications.
Specific design characteristics give them
a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher
ground clearance is
a better view of the road allowing yo11
to anticipate problems. They are not designed for
cornering at the same speeds
as conventional
two-wheel-drive vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are dcsigned
to perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions.
If at all possible. avoid shalp turns or abrupt
manewers. As with other vehicles
of this type. failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control
or vehicle rollover.
4-14

Traveling to Remote Areas Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It's a good idea to practice in an area that's safe and
close to home before you go into the wilclerness.
Off-road driving does rec1tIir-e some new md cliffrent
driving skills. Here's what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your
eyes,
for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain
tor unexpected ohstacles. Your ears need to listen for
unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands,
feet and body, you'll need to respond to vibrations and
vehicle
bounce.
Whengu're driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can
easily throw you
out of position. This could cause you to lose
control and crash.
So, whether you're driving on
or off the road, you and your passengers should
wear
safety belts.
4-17

Q.' Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It's nl~lch mo~x likely to happen going ~~phill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's whut to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the reg~11;~I brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the
parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking. restart
the engine.
and drive straight
down.
Shif't back to a low gear, release the parking brake.
if the engine won't start, get out md gct help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go m-oss
the incline of a hill. if this happens, yo^^ have to decide
whether to try to drive across the inc!int.. Here are some
things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up 01- down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight LIP or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels to the I-car whecls)
reduces the likelihood
the vehic!e will tumble cnd
over end.
But wlwn you drive i~cross an incline. the
much more narrow track width (the distance bctwee1l
the left and right wheels) nay not prevent the vehicle r
Driving across an incline that's too steep will
make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness
of the incline, don't drive
across it. Find another route instead.

If the water isn't too deep, then drive through it slowly.
At fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and
your vehicle can stall. Stalling can dso occur if you
tailpipe is under water, yo~l*II never be able to start your
engine. When
you go through water. remember that
when your brakes get
wet. it nay take you longer
to stop.
2 wt your tailpipe under water. And. as long as your
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and
you and your passengers could drown. If it's
only shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don't drive
through rushing water.
After Off-Road Driving
Relmove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody. chassis or 11nder the hood. These
accumulations CUI be a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand. have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can C~LIS~
glazing and 1111even braking. Check the body structure.
steering. suspension. wheels, tires and exlxwst system
for damage.
Also. check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
Your
vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
4-27

Hydroplaning Driving Through Deep Standing Water
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine's air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that
is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can't avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very
s1ow;ly.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
4-31

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as "highway hypnosis'"?
Or is
it just plain falling asleep at the wheel'? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine. and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let
it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road
in less than cf soc-ond, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you
do about highway
aware that
it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is we1
comfortably cool interior. 1ypmsis'?
First. be
0
0
I ventilated. with a
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest. service
or parking area and take
a nap, get some exercise, or
both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or nlountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning
to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer
and more enjoyable. (See "Off-Road
Driving"
in the Index for information about driving
off-road.
)
4-35